Practiced Spellcaster and Wild Mage

[Atavar]

Hello Everyone,

How should I handle the case of a wild mage (prestige class from Complete Arcane) who has the practiced spellcaster feat (also from Complete Arcane)? The prestige class reduces your base caster level by three, but the feat increase your caster level by up to four (not to exceed your total hit dice).

I don't think that allowing the feat to totally offset the caster level loss is the answer. The wild mage rolls 1d6 and adds the result to his caster level to get a randomized total. For example, a Wiz 10/WM 5 without this feat has a caster level of 12 + 1d6 every time he casts the spell for a total of 13-18. If the feat totally offsets the loss of three caster levels, then the caster with this feat would have a caster level of 15 + 1d6 every time he casts the spell for a total of 16-21. That just seems broken to me.

Someone suggested that I allow the use of this feat on the condition that the total caster level never exceeded what the maximum would be without the feat. In that case, the caster level would be 15 + 1d6, maximum 18, with a result set of [16, 17, 18, 18, 18, 18]. Is this how you would do it, or would you rule differently?

Thanks,

Atavar

 

[billd91]

I wouldn't use practiced spellcaster in this particular way. But, if the wildmage also had 3 levels of fighter (F3/W10/WM5), then I would use the practiced spell-caster to add 3 to the caster-level calculations. The way I see those levels of practiced spellcaster, they are used to offset the problems of multiclassing, not adjust the caster level rules of a single class or special handling by a prestige class power.

 

[EyeontheMountain]

Allowing Practiced Spellcaster to offset voluntary penalties, especially those sued for balance, is a bad idea in my opinion. Multiclassing, yes, but Wild Mage, no.

 

[Sithobi1]

I'm not saying it's right, but the way Wizards has ruled it is that it's 12+1d6, minimum 15.

 

[Mistwell]

FAQ answer

Here is what the FAQ has to say on the issue:

D&D FAQ v.3.5
How does Practiced Spellcaster interact with the wild
magic class feature of the wild mage (from Complete
Arcane)?

The –3 penalty and +1d6 bonus to the wild mage’s caster
level are applied as a single step in the process of determining
the wild mage’s caster level. Since Practiced Spellcaster’s
bonus is always applied when it is most beneficial to the
character (see previous answer), a wild mage with Practiced
Spellcaster would typically apply the wild magic class feature
first (subtracting 3 and adding 1d6 to her caster level) and then
add the Practiced Spellcaster benefit, up to a maximum value
equal to her character level.

For example, if a 5th-level wizard/4th-level wild mage with
Practiced Spellcaster rolled a 1 on the 1d6 bonus to her caster
level, her caster level for that spell would be 9th (base 9th, –3
from wild magic penalty, +1 from wild magic bonus, +4 from
Practiced Spellcaster up to a maximum equal to her character
level). If she rolled a 6, her caster level would be 12th (base
9th, –3 from wild magic penalty, +6 from wild magic bonus;
the Practiced Spellcaster bonus would not apply since it would
increase her caster level above her character level).
On the other hand, imagine a wild mage whose caster level
(before applying the effects of the wild magic class feature) is
less than her character level, such as a wild mage with levels of
rogue or other non-spellcasting class. She might well choose to
apply the Practiced Spellcaster bonus first, before applying the
wild magic modifiers. A rogue 4/wizard 5/wild mage 4 would
have a base caster level of 9th before any other modifiers are
applied. Adding Practiced Spellcaster’s bonus would increase
this to 13th, at which point the penalty and bonus from wild
magic would be applied. The Sage recommends that players
averse to frequently recalculating caster level avoid playing a
character with this combination, as it is likely to cause
headaches.

 

[Sejs]

Hello Everyone,

How should I handle the case of a wild mage who has the practiced spellcaster feat?

Apply Practiced Spellcaster before the Wild Magic adjustment.

Anything else borders on abuse, official statements be damned.

 

[Grimstaff]

I wouldn't allow Practiced Spellcaster to apply to Prestige Class anyway. While the "letter of the law" so to speak, may be unclear, the spirit in which the feat is intended is obviously to boost the caster level of characters who have multiclassed a few levels in a non-spellcasting (or different type of magic, arcane/divine) class, not to find a "trick" to avoid the balancing penalties of a prestige class. This is rule abuse, and it is broken, and bad.

Very bad.

 

[Kurashu]

Add the follow requirement.

Special: Can not have the Practiced Spellcaster feat.

And the follow condition:

Ex-Wild Mages
If a Wild Mage ever gains the Practiced Spellcaster feat, he loses all special abilities from the Wild Mage class. Et cetera.

That'll keep 'em in line.

 

[Sithobi1]

For everyone who thinks it's overpowered: is your problem with Wild Mage? After all, 1d6-3 normally gives a +.5 to your caster level(and is not a penalty unless you use Hyp's ruling that you can't cast a spell at lower CL if you're forced to). Adding Practiced Spellcaster changes it to +1 CL. At this point you're giving up 2 feats and a level for a +1 CL. Is it worth it?

 

[Sejs]

At this point you're giving up 2 feats and a level for a +1 CL. Is it worth it?

You're not giving up a level - Wild Mage has full spellcaster progression. Caster level is the meat and potatoes of a caster. Three things make up the holy trinity of casterdom: Spell Access, Caster Level, and DC. The Wild Mage gains a significant boost (+1 to +3) for essentially no substantial loss.

To put it another way: what Wild Mage wouldn't take Practiced Spellcaster? Would people consider dipping into Wild Mage to be a good career move if the Practiced Spellcaster 'trick' wern't available?

It's not like there are feats that are just 'huzzah, free caster level for you!' floating around. The closest thing is Divine Spell Power, and that's viewed with equal trepidation.